Six officials will face prosecution for their roles in a payroll fraud operation that syphoned money through fictitious salary payments, according to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng disclosed these individuals held several positions at the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD).
He revealed that they have been charged with corruption of a public officer and corruption by a public officer.
The special prosecutor made the disclosure at
a press conference on Wednesday, February, 2025.
He announced that the criminal charges have been filed at the High Court in Tamale.
The accused persons are Yakubu Tahidu—former teacher, Balogu M/A Junior High School, Yendi; Abdulai Abubakari Sadic—Integrated Personnel Payroll Database Coordinator, GES, Yendi; Sammy Suuk—Schools Improvement Support Officer, Yendi North Circuit; Mohammed Yusif Jay—Headmaster, Balogu M/A Junior High School, Yendi; Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres—Assistant Chief Accounts Technician, CAGD, Accra; and Osman Issahaku—Headmaster, Balogu M/A Junior High School, Yendi.
He said the probe started in late 2023 and was a joint effort between the OSP and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD).
A corruption risk assessment and payroll audit were conducted, initially piloted in the Northern Region, targeting educational institutions and the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
The OSP added that the investigation conducted was to help identify and remove ghost names, recover wrongful payments, and prosecute those responsible for manipulating government payroll.
The six suspects are accused of orchestrating the fraudulent inclusion of non-existent employees on the payroll, diverting public funds as salary payments to ghost workers.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
